For from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

For From the Madding Crowd (1874) is a pastoral novel. The title “Far from the Madding Crowd” is from Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”. In this novel, there is a devotion with patience on one side, while, on the other side, there is a selfish love with violent passion.

For From the Madding Crowd

     For from the madding crowd’ is the 4^th novel and 1^st major literary success of Hardy. It was written in 1874 during Victorian age. This novel was published in Cornhill magazine as an anonymous serial at first but later published in 1874. This novel focuses on the life and relationship of Bathsheba Everdene with her lonely neighbour William Boldwood, the faithful shepherd Gabriel Oak and thriftless soldier Sergeant Troy. The Theme of this novel is based on love, honour and betrayal.

Summary of the novel ‘for from the madding crowd’

The story of this novel is beginning with a very beautiful young girl Bathsheba. She comes to live with her aunt, Mrs. Hurst. She meets Gabriel Oak who is a young shepherd. One day she saves Oak’s life from a mishap. He falls in love with her. Oak serves her with unselfish devotion. One day he proposes her to marry, but she refuses his proposal by saying that she wants to live independently and will not marry anybody. Oak disappointed. Some days later Bathsheba moves to Weatherbury, a nearby a village. After the death of her uncle all the properties and farm become her own. Oak keeps a dog to watch the sheep. But the dog chases the sheep to the hill, because of its all the sheep fall down and die. To see the incident Oak becomes very sad. Finally, Oak sells his properties and goes to Weatherbury in search of a job.

                          On the way he sees a farm burning in fire, he blows out the fire. Then the Mrs. Of the farm comes to him and offer a job if he needs it. Oak accepts her job offer. One day she sent a valentine with a joking ‘Marry Me’ to William Boldwood, who is very aged person comes to her and says that I am ready to marry you. Bathsheba is confused what to do to not. Finally, she says that she will think about him. Oak criticizes her for playing with Boldwood’s emotions. Bathsheba become angry and asked him to get out from the job. But some days later she calls him back when her sheep start dying of “Blot” disease. She begs for help, and he agrees and save the life of sheep and get job again.

Sergeant Troy is a gallant who loves Fanny Robin. Fanny Robin is one Bathsheba’s servants. But Troy deserts her. Fanny Robin dies in childbirth in the workhouse. Troy wins the heart of Bathsheba. He succeeds in marring her. But soon, he begins to ill-treat her. When he heard the death of Fanny he disappointed. Somehow, this secret opened. Then Bathsheba goes to Troy, but Troy is very emotional for Fanny and Child. He says that he used to love Fanny very much, he cannot love Bathsheba. Then he goes to sea to bath but suddenly, the wave of water carries him away. A boatman saves his life and takes him to America. Everybody knows that Troy is drowned. Former Boldwood longs for Bathsheba. He wished to marry her. So he declares it out at the party. In the meanwhile Troy returns to Weatherbury at Boldwood’s house.  Where the party is held. Troy forces Bathsheba to come with him. He pulls her hand then Boldwood shoots him. Troy is murdered. Boldwood is arrested and condemned to hang but later he is send to prison whole life. Bathsheba buries Troy the same Grave where Fanny and her child are buries.In the end of the novel Bathsheba realises that only Gabriel Oak is more suitable than anyone. She goes to him and accept marriage proposal. Oak and Bathsheba marry together. In this way the story of the novel ends happily.

what is the source of the title' For from the Madding Crowd'? 

the title of this novel has been taken from famous 'Elegy written by Thomas Gray. the title of the poem is " Elegy written in a country Churchyard". the line in which this phrase occurs is:                                   "For from the Madding Crowd's ignoble strife."

What is the theme of ‘For from the Madding Crowd’?

Love is a major theme of the novel, the plot revolves Bathsheba trying to understand what love truly is, and what type of man is worthy of giving her love to. Each of her suitors represents a different kind of love. Boldwood offers a love that is intense, obsessive, and factions like a form of ownership; he tries to buy her love with luxurious goods and promises of sharing in his prosperity. Troy offers her a passionate, sexually charged love that is very pleasurable in the short term but quickly fades away and is not substantiated with long term devotion or compatibility. It is Oak who offers her a quiet, unassuming, but steadfast and reliable love that will endure through problems and challenges. As Bathsheba matures, she comes to realize what real love is and that Gabriel is the best partner for her.

Nature is the theme in this novel, since the progress of the plot is closely tied to the passage of time, the change of seasons, and the rhythm of life on the farm. The theme of this novel is based on love, honour, and betrayal.

Characters in ‘For from the Madding Crowd’

Gabriel Oak

Oak is the Hero of the novel. He is a farmer. He falls in love with Bathsheba. But She refused. One day he suddenly became poor by losing all his sheep. After that he becomes Bathsheba’s shepherd. He serves her faithfully. Bathsheba marries him after Troy’s death.

Bathsheba Everdene

Bathsheba is the heroine of the novel. She is very beautiful but proudy. She feels attracted towards Troy and married him. She comes to knows his bad treatment of Fanny Robin. So she begins to dislike him. At last, she marries Gabriel Oak.

Francis Troy

Troy is skilled sword man. His talks are very sweet. He is very polished and cultured. He knows the art of entrapping women. First he entraps Fanny Robin. After that marries Bathsheba. At last, Boldwood murdered him.

Boldwood

He is an aged and wealthy man of Weatherbury. Bathsheba for the sake of fun writes a letter to him. In it, she asked him to marry her. When Troy is reported drowned, she promises to marry him after 6 years. On the day of marriage Troy come back. This makes Boldwood very angry and killed Troy he is arrested and he gets king’s pardon.

Fanny Robin

She is a very beautiful servant of Bathsheba. She meets Troy and falls in love with him and runs away. She gives birth to a child, after the birth of child Fanny and her child died.

What is the role of destiny in “For from the Madding Crowd”?

Thomas hardy is a fatalist. He believes in fate or luck or destiny or chance. in his opinion the fate of every person is pre-determined. In all the novel of Hardy chance plays a very important role, Far from the Madding Crowd is not exception to it. Following incidents happened by chance.

·         Oak’s loss of his sheep

·         Fanny’s mistakes

·         The valentine cards

·         Gabriel second meeting with Bathsheba

·         Troy’s death

What is the contribution of Thomas Hardy in English Literature?

Thomas Hardy is a great name in literary world. He was a great novelist.In his time although he was a poet and story writer but more than it he was a great novelist. Thomas Hardy is a regional novelist. When we deeply discuss the contribution of Hardy to English novel. We find that it is matchless and remarkable. He has written many heart-touching story in his novels as “For from the Madding Crowd”. As a novelist he earned name and fame. His contribution in English Literature undoubtedly is unforgettable and unquestionable.